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The Complications of Football Helmet Research

Researchers are working
tirelessly to develop new technology for football helmets, specifically aimed
at reducing one's susceptibility to concussions. As Inside Science pointed out in an article last week,
the research and development of this technology is complicated to say the
least, because contrary to what helmet manufacturers might claim, there is
currently no evidence that a specific brand of helmet can lower the risk of
sustaining a concussion. A recent study among 40,000 high school football
players in Wisconsin found that "lower risks of sustaining a
sports-related concussion and its severity were not improved based on a
specific manufacturer." Of course, this should not stop researchers from
trying to develop technology that can reduce force from helmet-to-helmet
collisions, because even the smallest amount can make a difference.

Some of the latest ideas that
are being tested include a thin polymer sheet designed to reinforce
padding inside a football helmet, in theory reducing the force a player would
feel in a collision. Biomechanical engineers at UCLA claim this technology
could reduce force by "up to 25 percent." Kevlar, the material used
in bulletproof vests, has also been suggested as a way to reinforce the padding
in football helmets.

"We know that you cannot
eliminate all concussions, but the technology to minimize concussions has been
available for decades," says Ilyas Akbari, a bioengineer and attorney at
Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman. Mr. Akbari is currently representing
Edward Acuna, a former high school football player that suffered a subdural
hematoma during a game. Acuna
was wearing a helmet manufactured by Riddell Sports, Inc. "One thing is clear: the more reduction of
force to the brain, the better. Even a 10 percent reduction in force makes a
huge difference when we are talking

about brain injuries."

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